Chair construction with flexible seat and back



1965 v. SANCHEZ PABLOS 3,222,108

CHAIR CONSTRUCTION WITH FLEXIBLE SEAT AND BACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1964 INVENTOR VICENTE SANCHEZ PABLOS ATTORNEYS.

7, 1965 v. SANCHEZ PABLOS 3,222,108

CHAIR CONSTRUCTION WITH FLEXIBLE SEAT AND BACK Filed Feb. 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR VICENTE SACHEZ PABLOS BY W 7 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent s 4 Claims. ..z97, 441) The present invention relates to novel improvements in the fabrication of pieces of furniture such as chairs, armchairs, and the like.

A primary object of the present invention is to employ oomplemental and symmetrical rigid side pieces, which are joined together by cross pieces, and to provide, in association with the side pieces, a seat and back constituted solely by a flexible and non-stretchable element of a width to fill in the transverse spacing between the side pieces, the element being attached to projections associated withthe side pieces and the cross pieces being disposed out of contact with the seat and the back of the element, thus permitting the element to adjust to the body of the occupant of the chair.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide projections on the side pieces, the projections lying substantially in the. same vertical planes as the side pieces and extending therefrom, and to provide tubular sleeves on the corner sections of the opposing side edge portions of the element,. the tubular sleeves being disposed substantially in the same vertical planes as the side pieces. and. being sleeved onthe projections to form the sole attachment of. the element to the rigid pieces.

The foregoing and ancillary objects, and structural features of merit, are attained by the present invention, the preferred embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an armchair, in which the seat and the back are formed by a flexible and nonstretchable element, which is fixed, by means of tubular sleeves on projections that constitute the sole attachment meansfor the. element to the chair;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a modified frame construction of anarmchair, illustrating a modified form of projections;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a further modified form of chair structure, illustrating a modified construction of the projections;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further modified form of chair construction, and illustrating a modified form of projections; and,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspective views of modified forms of projections for supporting the back rest portion of the element.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, the chair is formed from a pair of identically shaped, complemental, symmetrical rigid, side pieces 1 and 1a. Each side piece 1 and 1a has the lateral form of a chair and includes rigid arm rests 2 and 2a with front and rear rigid legs 3 and 3a depending from the arm rest 2 and similar front and rear rigid legs 3' and3a' depending from the arm rest 2a.

Cross pieces 4 and 4 connect the side pieces in spaced fixed relation with the side pieces lying in parallel vertical planes. The cross piece 4 connects the front legs 3 and 3' and the cross piece 4' connects the rear legs 3a and 3a. The cross pieces 4 and 4 are suitably attached to the legs of the side pieces by securing means 5, which may be in the nature of screws, bolts or the like.

It is to be noted that each side piece (1 and 1a) is formed, as an individual, complete piece and that the 3,222,108 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 side pieces are joined together in spaced fixed relation by means of the cross pieces 4 and 4'.

A flexible and non-stretchable element 6, which may be formed from leather, canvas or the like and which may be of one piece or two or more piece construction, defines the seat portion 6a and back rest portion 6b of the chair. The element 6 is of a width to fill in the transverse spacing between the side pieces 1 and 1a with means being provided for attaching the element to the chair structure in a manner so that the cross pieces 4 and 4' are disposed out of contact with the seat and back portions 6a and 6b of the element, thus permitting the element 6 to adjust to the body of the occupant of the'chair.

The legs 3 and 341 support a member 7 which terminates, at its forward end in a projection 8, that extends forwardly of the front leg 3. Similarly, the legs 3' and 3a support a member 7', which has a forwardly extending projection 8'. The rear legs 3a and 3a project above the arm rests .2 and 2a and terminate in projections 9 and 9a. The element 6, as shown in FIG. 1, is substantially rectangular, and is provided with opposing side edge portions. The side edge portions are formed with front corner sections, which are folded over to define tubular sleeves 10 and 10a, that are sleeved on the projections 8 and8'. The sleeves may be otherwise formed. Similarly, the opposing corner sections, of the element are porvided with sleeves 11 and 11a, that are. sleeved onto the projections 9 and 9a.

The projections are disposed substantially in the same vertical planes as the side pieces and the sleeves lie substantially in the same vertical planes as the side pieces, with the longitudinal axis of the tubular sleeves lying substantially in the same vertical planes as the side pieces.

The tubular sleeves and projections constitute the sole means for attaching the element 6 to the chair and, it is to be noted that the cross pieces 4 and 4' are disposed out of contact with the seat portion 6a and back rest portion 6b of the element, so that the element constitutes the sole support of an occupant of the chair, whereby the element can adjust to the body of the occupant.

A modified chair structure is shown in FIG. 2, which structure includes arm rests 12 and 12, rear legs 13 and 13' and front legs 14 and 14. The legs of each side piece are connected by bases 15 and 15'. Thus, each side piece is in the shape of a single, open rctangular frame fabricated from light weight metal.

The rear legs 13 and 13 are connected by a cross piece 16 and the front legs 14 and 14' are connected by a cross piece 16'. The cross piece 16 has upstanding lateral end portions 17 and 17', which are fixedly superimposed by rivets, screws or the like 18, to the outer faces of the legs 13 and 13'. The end portions 17 and 17' terminate in outwardly, upwardly and rearwardly extending projections 19 and 19', which extend above and rearwardly of the arm rests 12 and 12'.

The cross piece 16' is formed With depending lateral end portions 20, which are fixed to the front legs 14 and 14', in a manner similar to the afiixation of the end portions 17 and 17' of the cross piece 16 at the front of the chair.

The portions 20 and 20' terminate in outwardly extending projections 21 and 21, at the front of the chair. A flexible element 6', similar to the flexible element 6 of FIG. 1, is formed with tubular sleeves 1012 at its opposing corners that are sleeved on the projections 19 and 19 and on the projections 21 and 21. The element 6' and associated sleeves 10b are shown in dotted lines.

It is to be noted that the cross pieces 16 and 16 are disposed out of contact with the seat and back portions of the flexible element 6', so that the cross pieces do not bear any of the weight of the occupant of the chair, with the element solely supporting the body of the occupant of the chair and the element being permitted to adjust to the body of the occupant of the chair.

In FIG. 3, the chair construction is somewhat along the lines of that of FIG. 1 but the arm rests 22 and 22a are inclined from the taller rear legs down to the lower front legs and terminate at the front in horizontally disposed projections 23 and 23a, while terminating at their rear ends in horizontally disposed projections 24 and 24a. The flexible element (not shown) is formed, similar to the flexible elements 6 and 6', with tubular sleeves at its opposing corners, the sleeves being sleeved over the projections 23, 23a which extend beyond the front legs, and the projections 24 and 24, which extend rearwardly beyond the rear legs.

In FIG. 4, the front legs 25 and 25a are formed with outstanding and upwardly extending projections 26 and 26a and the rear legs. are formed with upstanding and rearwardly and outwardly extending projections 27 and 270, over which the tubular sleeves at the corner portions of the flexible element (not shown) are sleeved, with the cross pieces 28 and 28 lying below and out of contact with the seat and back portions of the element, thus permitting the element to adjust to the body of the occupant of the chair.

FIG. is a minor variation of the form, which is shown in FIG. 2, in that the projection 19a is secured by a clamp 30 to the leg 13, instead of being integral with the cross piece 16, as shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 6, the projection 31 is made integral with the arm rest 32 adjacent the rear leg 33; this being a chair, which is formed of tubular elements that are welded together.

While the best known forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, other forms may be realized, as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A chair construction comprising a pair of complemental, symmetrical rigid, side pieces, each side piece having the lateral form of a chair and including rigid arm rests and front and rear rigid legs depending from each of the arm rests, cross pieces connecting the side pieces in spaced fixed relation, said side pieces lying in parallel vertical planes, a seat and a back portion constituted solely by a flexible and non-stretchable element of a width to fill in the transverse spacing between the side pieces, said side pieces having similar projections extending beyond the arm rests at each front and rear leg, said projections on each side piece lying substantially in the same vertical plane as the side piece, and said element having opposing side edge portions, each side edge portion being provided with corner sections having tubular sleeves disposed substantially in the same vertical plane as the side pieces, and said sleeves being sleeved onto the projections to form the sole attachment of the element to the rigid pieces, with the seat and back portions solely supporting an occupant of the chair and the cross pieces being disposed out of contact with the seat and back portions when the chair is occupied thus. permitting the element to adjust to the body of the occupant of the chair.

2. A chair construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projections extend forwardly of the front legs and rearwardly of the rear legs and are integral with the arm rests.

3. A chair construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projections extend outwardly and rearwardly from the rear legs and outwardly and forwardly from the front legs, said projections on the front legs lying below the arm rests and said projections on the rear legs extending upwardly above the arm rests.

4. A chair construction as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cross, pieces connect the front legs and the rear legs and the projections are integral with the cross pieces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,912,282 5/1933 Krebs 297-441 2,333,073 10/1943 Mueller 297-440 X 2,364,452 12/1944 Kramer 297440 2,650,656 9/ 1953 Ohlsson 297-440 2,694,438 11/ 1954 Frech 297-440 2,778,410 1/1957 Bode 297-440 2,829,707 4/ 1958 Liebson 297-440 2,897,880 8/1959 Panicci 297-446 2,965,161 12/1960 Knoll 297-440 2,999,662 9/1961 Lappin 297-445 3,001,824 9/1961 Wiener 297-458 3,003,817 10/ 1961 King 297-440 3,019,051 1/1962 Nugent 297-440 3,058,777 10/1962 Froedge 297-440 3,087,758 4/1963 Deaton 297-445 3,133,765 5/1964 Kramer 297-445 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner, 

1. A CHAIR CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTAL, SYMMETRICAL RIGID, SIDE PIECES, EACH SIDE PIECE HAVING THE LATERAL FORM OF A CHAIR AND INCLUDING RIGID ARM RESTS AND FRONT AND REAR RIGID LEGS DEPENDING FROM EACH OF THE ARM RESTS, CROSS PIECES CONNECTING THE SIDES PIECES IN SPACED FIXED RELATION, SAID SIDES PIECES LYING IN PARALLEL VERTICAL PLANES, A SEAT AND A BACK PORTION CONSTITUTED SOLELY BY A FLEXIBLE AND NON-STRETCHABLE ELEMENT OF A WIDTH TO FILL IN THE TRANSVERSE SPACING BETWEEN THE SIDES PIECES, SAID SIDE PIECES HAVING SIMILAR PROJECTIONS EXTENDING BEYOND THE ARM RESTS AT EACH FRONT AND REAR LEG, SAID PROJECTIONS ON EACH SIDE PIECE LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE AS THE SIDE PIECE, AND SAID ELEMENT HAVING OPPOSING SIDE EDGE PORTIONS, EACH SIDE EDGE PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH CORNER SECTIONS HAVING TUBULAR SLEEVES DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE AS THE SIDE PIECES, AND SAID SLEEVES BEING SLEEVED ONTO THE PROJECTIONS TO FORM THE SOLE ATTACHMENT OF THE ELEMENT TO THE RIGID PIECES, WITH THE SEAT AND BACK PORTIONS SOLELY SUPPORTING AN OCCUPANT OF THE CHAIR AND THE CROSS PIECES BEING DISPOSED OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE SEAT AND BACK PORTIONS WHEN THE CHAIR IS OCCUPIED THUS PERMITTING THE ELEMENT TO ADJUST TO THE BODY OF THE OCCUPANT OF THE CHAIR. 